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1969 BSCC Season
The 1969 RAC British Saloon Car Championship was the twelfth edition of the championship, which saw Alec Poole claim the title in a renaissance for the Mini Cooper.http://touringcarracing.net/Pages/1969%20BSCC.html 1969 also saw the BSCC bring it's engine restrictions closer to those used in Europe, in an attempt to bring more cars to the grid. Regulations For 1969, the BSCC continued to use FIA Group 5 regulations, although as mentioned above, the relatively care free engine restrictions were tightened, bringing the BSCC closer to its European counterpart. As such the FVA engines placed into the Escorts and Cortinas of 1968 were outlawed, in an attempt to make the championship more competitive in each class. Classes The BSCC used its pre-established four-class system for 1969, with the same divisions as used in 1968. These are displayed below: Points The same points system as 1968 was used for the year, with points awarded from first to fourth. If cars set the same fastest lap time during the race, the point was shared. Round by Round This section is for a round by round report for each race of the season. First Round: Race of Champions (Brands Hatch) As had become the norm for the championship over the previous years, the BSCC gathered in support of the Race of Champions meeting at Brands Hatch, with the race day for the saloons split into two heats.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Race%20of%20Champions.html Victory in both heats meant that Roy Pierpoint took the honours for the day, with Brian Muir (who had set the same time as Pierpoint in qualifying) claiming second. Behind them came defending champion Frank Gardner, who used the supercharged Ford Escort TC that Alan Mann had experimented with the year before, despite having qualified on pole. Mike Crabtree claimed the honours in Class C, ahead of an ever growing pack of Porsche 911s imported from Europe, headed by Nick Faure. That said, Roger Taylor did manage to take third on aggregate in his Escort, ahead of the second Porsche. In Class B, the Mini seemed to have rediscovered some of its form from previous seasons, with Gordon Spice actually being classified ahead of Crabtree on the aggregate result table. His Britax-Cooper-Downton team mate Steve Neal claimed second, while Alan Peer led the Escort 1300 GT challenge by claiming third. Their places were only gained after John Fitzpatrick's car set itself ablaze in the second race after he had qualified second overall, only slightly slower Gardner's supercharged Escort. Alec Poole took the honours in Class A, his Equipe Arden run Mini Cooper S 970 managing to take the lead from the Don Moore example of Rob Mason during the second race. Liane Engeman impressed on her BSCC debut to take the final podium spot in Class A, using a Ford Anglia against the overwhelming number of Minis. Second Round: 21st Daily Express Trophy (Silverstone) Two weeks later, the BSCC found itself at Silverstone, supporting the British Racing Drivers Club International Trophy (renamed as the Daily Express Trophy due to sponsorship), an event recognised as the biggest non-championship Formula One race in Britain (alongside the ROC).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRDC_International_Trophy The 34 car grid was led home by Gardner, who battled from fourth to take victory, although his fight was helped by the demise of Muir, who spun at the half way stage while leading.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Silverstone.html Pierpoint joined him on the podium by holding onto the back of Gardner's car, while Terry Sanger finished a distant third, well behind the leading pair. Crabtree fended off the 911 of Faure to take victory in Class C, while Barry Pearson claimed third, having managed to get the Mini of Steve Neal in between himself and Brian Robinson. Fitzpatrick's rebuilt Escort claimed the honours in Class B, beating the B-C-D car of Spice in a race long battle, after the pair managed to pull away from Neal. The BL MC factory cars joined the leading pack, although their charge was halted by Robinson's Escort. Poole and Mason had a private battle for first in Class A, with the Irishman coming out on top. Mike Freeman gave the Hillman Imp an increasingly rare visit to the podium by claiming third, ahead of Colin Youle and Terry McNally, in a race which saw 27 of the 34 cars finish. Third Round: Guards International (Snetterton) Good Friday saw the BSCC paddock set itself up at Snetterton, racing in support of the Guards International Trophy race.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Snetterton.html The crowds were given an intense race, which saw Gardner attempt to take on the 4.8 litre Falcons of Pierpoint and Sanger at the front. As it was, the Falcons were fast enough on the straights to maintain their lead, with Pierpoint outstripping Sanger to victory, Gardner having to settle for third. Behind the leading trio, Crabtree was finally beaten by Fuare in Class C, as the Porsche managed to get around the Escort for victory. Robinson came through to complete the podium on his debut for the Byker Hill Garage team. Craft impressed in his Broadspeed Escort 1300 to take victory in Class B, in what proved to be the Escort's day, as Vince Woodman and Roger Taylor joined him on the rostrum, beating the BL MC car of John Rhodes. It would not be a lost day for the Mini, however, as Poole claimed victory in Class A, beating the speedy Ford Anglia of Les Nash. They proved to be the only finishers in their class, after Mason retired with a damaged valve spring. Fourth Round: Thruxton Another race and another three way battle for victory, as the BSCC took centre stage for the first time that year.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Thruxton.html Pierpoint took victory for the second race in a row, but had to fend off Gardner's Escort after the Australian had dispatched of Sanger. They ran together for much of the race, lapping the rest of the field, including the leading cars in Class B. Chris Craft threw his Escort round the circuit to take fourth overall, even beating the Falcon of Martin Birrane in the race. Spice and Neal did their best to hang on to Craft's car, as did Jonathan Buncombe and Handley in their Minis, but Craft built a lead over them big enough to hang on. Rod Mansfield took an easy first victory in Class C, as the leading cars in the class had problems (perhaps the reason why Mansfield was the highest placed of them in tenth, almost a lap behind the fastest car in Class B). Of the leaders in class, Faure suffered an electronic failure and a fuel leak, while the visiting Austrian Dieter Quester (a relatively big name in the ETCC) suffered an injector failure on his BMW. Crabtree, on the other hand, claimed second in class, but was later disqualified for an engine issue. As such, Peter Jackson, using an ex-Team Lotus Cortina Mk 2, was promoted to second, and was the only other finisher in Class C. Poole claimed a clear victory in Class A, with his major rivals in class, Nash and Mason rounding off the podium. Fifth Round: Martini International (Silverstone) The world renowned Formula Two race sponsored by Martini, the Silverstone Martini International, attracted a larger field to the BSCC, with cars from the ETCC joining the pack.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Silverstone%20Martini.html Unfortunately for the Europeans, no one could stop the Falcons of Pierpoint and Sanger, who dispatched of Gardner (quite literally) and race away from the rest. Gardner recovered to third in class (after numerous retirements), but was well down overall. Class C saw Barry Pearson take the honours, with Dane Tom Belsø making his BSCC bow with second in class. Mansfield, Peter Westbury and Crabtree had a scrap for third in their Escorts, but it would be the Diamond driver who completed the podium. Unfortunately for the Escort TCs, they were upstaged by the smaller 1300 GT of Craft, who finished an incredible third overall to take victory in Class B. Team mate Fitzpatrick tried to keep up, but ended up in a scrap with the factory backed cars of Rhodes and Handley (ultimately coming fourth behind them). In Class A the focus was on the two Dutch drivers, Liane Engeman and Rein Zwolsman, with Zwolsman heavily featured in the media. However, neither could challenge the established pack, as Poole claimed his fifth straight victory in Class. Lawrie Hickman caused a slight upset by taking his one litre Escort to second, limited Nash to third in class. Of the Dutch drivers, Engeman took her Anglia to fifth, while Zwolsman limped home to last overall in his Fiat Abarth 1000 TCR. Sixth Round: Anerly Trophy/Norbury Trophy (Crystal Palace) The sixth meeting of the year was held at Crystal Palace, with field split into two to compete for the Anerly (Classes A and B) and Norbury (Classes C and D) Trophies.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Crystal%20Palace.html The first race for the Anerly Trophy saw a masterclass by Gordon Spice, who flung his Mini around the confines of Crystal Palace to lay his hands on the Trophy. Despite having set an identical time to Craft in the Escort, Spice took pole and went on to victory, as the two stuck together for much of the race (even sharing the fastest lap time of 1:02.2, faster than their qualifying times). Handley and Rhodes slipped their factory backed Minis ahead of Spice's team mate Neal, while all three benefitted from the demise of Craft's team mate Fitzpatrick, who suffered a transmission failure whilst running in third. Mason claimed a rare victory from Poole in Class A, with Youle fighting a rear guard action to keep the Hillman Imp of Jeremy Nightingale off the podium. With the Anerly Trophy decided, the attention turned to the Norbury Trophy, with the majority hoping to see Gardner go to battle with the Falcons as he had done throughout. Unfortunately (for everyone but the Aussie) Gardner ran away from the field, after Pierpoint (who was now equipped with a Chevrolet Camaro) suffered a clutch failure in the opening stages, with further retirements for Birrane and Sanger depleting the Class D field. John Williamson and Dennis Leech completed the podium, although they were two and three laps down respectively. In Class C, Crabtree claimed the honours in his Escort TC as he attempted to keep it's supercharged cousin in sight. Robinson and Faure completed the Class C podium, both managing to stay on the same lap, although the crowds were left dissapointed by a race which promised more than was shown. Seventh Round: Mallory Park Leicestershire beckoned for the BSCC on the 29th of June, as the field was split into two once more for the race around the Mallory Park circuit.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Mallory%20Park.html Race one saw Spice carry his form over from Crystal Palace, as he set fastest lap and stood atop the podium for the second race running. However, for the first time in BSCC history, he would not be alone, as Chris Craft joined him on the top of the rostrom, having pulled his Escort alongside the Mini at the line. Official timing stated that both cars had crossed the line after 18 minutes and 35.6 seconds, meaning both were declared the winner (and hence the points were shared between them, both getting seven). Steve Neal was left to watch their battle from behind as he claimed third, ahead of the factory cars. In Class A, Hickman claimed a victory in his one litre Escort, leaving Poole to settle for second for the second race in a row. Rob Mason completed the podium, although he was the only other entrant in their class. Into the Class C and D race, and drama was seen from the start, as Leech put Gardner and Pierpoint out of the race on the first lap. With the two favourites out, and most of the field backed up behind Leech and Sanger in the sole surviving Falcons, Mike Crabtree and Rod Mansfield streaked ahead having avoided the worst of the incident. However, Crabtree suffered from overheating, retiring after five laps, leaving Mansfield to take an unlikely victory for the non-supercharged Escort TC. Leech, meanwhile, fended off Sanger to take victory in Class D, while Brian Robinson (once again using a Lotus Cortina) and Willy Kay joined Mansfield on the podium. Eighth Round: Croft The BSCC met at Croft three weeks later, with the day split into two heats, with points and places awarded on the aggregate result.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Croft.html As it was, Roy Pierpoint was declared the winner, having won both heats, with Gardner challenging him all the way in both to take second. Leech and Sanger took two third places each, but because of Leech's retirement in the second heat, Sanger was promoted to third overall (and in Class D). In Class C, the heats were divided between Mansfield and Robinson, but, because of his faster time in his heat victory, Mansfield took the honours. Pat Mannion was given third overall, after Crabtree produced two poor races and fell to fourth. In Class B, John Fitzpatrick claimed victory in both heats to take the honours, even being classed ahead of the leaders in Class C on aggregate. Spice's mid season charge continued, as he claimed second, ahead of B-C-D team mate Neal and the Mini privately entered by Buncombe. Despite running with Fitzpatrick in the second heat, Craft (racing the other Team Broadspeed entry) was classified as fifth, having had a poor first race. Hickman ensured that the Escort took three class honours that day, producing two near faultless performances to beat Nash and Mason, with Poole falling off the podium for the first time in his short BSCC career. Ninth Round: British Grand Prix (Silverstone) The 1969 British Grand Prix attracted a large crowd to Silverstone, who would witness another enthralling BSCC race.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Silverstone%20GP.html Pierpoint and Martin Thomas lined up on the grid in Camaros, with Leech and Sanger hoping to keep their Falcons ahead. Pierpoint and Sanger immediately entered a duel for the lead, which saw them run together in the opening stages. Yet, by the end of lap nine, Pierpoint had all but won the race, as Sanger retired with a broken wheel. Leech was promoted to second, but was a long way behind, while Gardner came third, although his supercharged Escort was well off the pace. John Hine joined the American muscle cars on the podium, as he took victory in Class C in his Escort, beating Mansfield in a race long battle, as they dropped third placed Robinson early on. Into Class B, and the Escort 1300 proved to be unbeatable, particularly in the hands of the Broadspeed boys, as Craft and Fitzpatrick took fifth and sixth overall, and first and second in class. Third through to sixth saw an inter-Mini battle, as the B-C-D cars took on the BL MC entries, with Spice coming out on top. In Class A, the pre-summer order was restored, as Poole claimed victory in a largely untroubled race, although it must be said that Nash kept him honest throughout. Mike Freeman put in a good performance to give the Imp an unlikely podium place, coming third after Mason and Hickman retired. Tenth Round: XVIII Gold Cup (Oulton Park) The BSCC returned in August, supporting an old favourite, the Gold Cup at Oulton Park.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Oulton%20Park.html At the eighth different circuit of the year, Leech's brusing style finally yielded some silverwear, as he battled past Gardner to take victory. Sanger finished third after being caught up in the Class C squabble, while a mention must go to Martin Birrane, who swung his Falcon around numerous cars to take fourth in class. Crabtree impressed as he returned to the fore in Class C, taking third overall. Hine got caught behind Sanger so could not challenge for victory, while Mansfield got the Broadspeed car of John Fitzpatrick between himself and Robinson. Ahead of Mansfield was Craft, who won from his team mate to take Class B. Their one-two left the two Mini teams to battle for third once more, although this time it would be Neal who came out on top. In Class A a four way battle for the lead emerged, with Poole taking victory from Hickman and Nash in their Fords, while Rob Mason missed out on the podium. Eleventh Round: Evening News Trophy (Brands Hatch) Round eleven and the field returned to Brands Hatch, with Alec Poole set to win the title a round early if he scored any points at all in Class A.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Brands%20Hatch%20EN.html He would first, however, have to negotiate another two heats of racing in order to do so. On aggregate, having taken both heat victories, Leech stood atop the podium, as his Falcon ran alone for much of the day, with only Pierpoint able to keep with him in the second heat. Sanger joined them on the podium, after retirements for Birrane (spin) and Gardner (rear axle failure) put them out of contention. Crabtree and Willie Green were fast enough to finish ahead of Pierpoint on aggregate, as they took first and second respectively in Class C. Robinson joined them once again, as the Escort TC took first to fourth in Class C. But what of Poole? Well his championship was assured, as he finished second on aggregate (despite winning his class in the second heat) to Hickman in his Escort one litre. They were joined by Mason on the podium, but the day belonged to Poole, whose lead, although cut down to fifteen by Craft, was more than enough to take the title. Craft, as can be eluded to, won Class B in both heats and took victory, although he needed Poole to fail to score any points. Team mate Fitzpatrick backed him by taking second, fending off Vince Woodman and John Rhodes, while also keeping them slow enough that Craft took the point for fastest lap. Twelfth Round: Motor Show 200 (Brands Hatch) The BSCC returned to Brands Hatch for the final race of the year, a gruelling 200 mile race, 50 times around Kent's major racing circuit.http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1969%20Brands%20Hatch%20MS200.html After more than an hour and a half of racing, Frank Gardner took the flag, beating Leech in a race long battle that saw them cross the line within a few seconds of each other. Brian Muir, returning for the first time since the fourth meeting, joined them on the podium, but was nearly two laps down come the end, after Pierpoint and Birrane retired on the same lap with different issues. Class C saw Barry Pearson and Crabtree (the only other cars to stay on the lead lap) run together in a race long duel, with the former coming out on top. Sven Engstrøm joined them, as the his ETCC Porsche 911 beat Nick Faure's BSCC example in the closing stages. Class B saw another dominant display by the Broadspeed boys, with Fitzpatrick and Craft (now that the title was decided) released to battle each other. Over 50 laps, Fitzpatrick came out on top, as the pair swung their 1300 Escorts around the Kentish track together, and often faster than the Porsches behind them. They were joined by the B-C-D entry of Steve Neal, who won the final inter-mini battle of the season. Poole opted not to attend the year's final race, meaning Hickman was given virtually a free run to victory in Class A. Although Mason stayed with him, Hickman kept his Escort as wide as he could, taking the flag with a victory which meant the Escort (although in different forms and engine types) became the first car to win every class in a meeting in BSCC history. Mike Freeman crossed the line three laps behind them, as the Imp ran for the final time that year, getting his hands on third place. Entries A table of entrants may be entered here, using the following table: Final Standings ** Spice awarded seven points rather than eight after a dead heat with Craft. *† Indicates that a driver used a car from a different manufacturer/class at that round. Champions So after seven months of racing, Alec Poole claimed his first BSCC title at his first attempt, meaning the Mini rounded out the 1960s with its fourth title. Craft challenged for much of the year, but the Broadspeed Escorts faced stiff competition from the two de facto factory Mini teams in Class B, while Gardner and Crabtree marched to class titles in their classes largely unchallenged. References Category:Seasons